The first four official entries for the 2026 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) were announced on Tuesday, July 7, during a ceremony in San Juan City.
The announcement was led by MMDA Chairman and MMFF Chairperson Romando Artes, together with FDCP Chairperson and veteran filmmaker Jose Javier Reyes, and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora.
Festival organizers also confirmed that San Juan City and Mandaluyong City, headed by Mayor Menchie Abalos, will serve as the host cities for this year’s MMFF and will jointly stage the traditional Parade of Stars in December.
Leading the initial lineup is “2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7,” a family drama produced by VIVA Communications. Directed by Nuel Crisostomo Naval, the film is the sequel to the 2019 box-office hit “Miracle in Cell No. 7” and stars Aga Muhlach and Xia Vigor.
Joining the festival is “Amir,” a family drama from GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs. The film is directed by Zig Dulay, who previously helmed the award-winning MMFF entries “Firefly” (2023) and “Green Bones” (2024). Its cast includes Dennis Trillo, Will Ashley, Glaiza de Castro, and Kapamilya child actor Argus Aspiras.
Also making the official lineup is the horror film “Haunted Carnival,” produced by Regal Entertainment and directed by Joey de Guzman. The movie features an ensemble cast led by Maricel Soriano, Fyang Smith, Julia Barretto, James Reid, and John Arcilla.
Completing the first batch of entries is “The Greatest Showdown,” a comedy that marks the first big-screen team-up of box-office stars Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto. The film is a collaboration among ABS-CBN Studios, Star Cinema, The IdeaFirst Company, M-Zet Productions, and APT Entertainment, with Jun Robles Lana serving as director.
Organizers also announced that the standard cinema ticket price for this year’s festival will be ₱299, although producers may choose to offer lower ticket prices to encourage more moviegoers.
The remaining four official entries will be selected from the finished film submissions and are scheduled to be announced in October. All eight official MMFF entries will be screened in cinemas nationwide from December 25, 2026, to January 7, 2027.